Generator says its working but no chlorine

[Slowride]

Hey folks, I've got a 36,000 gallon, vinyl pool with an IC-60 Pentair SWG that just over a year old. I just got back from 4 days out of town. Before I left, I kicked up the production to 100% for 24 house to shock the pool. Chlorine registered over 5. I do not have a way to measure salt at home. I get back to a green pool and is measures no chlorine. The Pentair unit lights up solid green for salt, flow, power and cell. I've left it at 100% for 24hours. Still no chlorine.

I did notice a week before I left that it registered "Red" for low salt. I added two bags and in 24 hours it registered "solid green" for salt. Where would you start to diagnose and work with Pentair? thx, SR

 

[woodyp]

Sounds like the first thing you need is some salt test strips. If your returned to a green pool------------the SWCG will NOT be able to take it to or keep it at shock level. My best guess is that small amount of chlorine being generated is being consumed quickly.

 

[JasonLion]

A SWG can't usually recover from an algae bloom by it's self. You need to be adding chlorine up to shock level manually until the SWG is able to keep up again.

 

[gordiec]

Here is the direct link to the directions for shocking your pool: http://www.troublefreepool.com/pool-school/shocking_your_pool

Hope that helps!

 

[Slowride]

Update: Leslies says salt level at 2800, ph 7.4, low phosphates. But the guy had trouble with the other levels because I was stupid enough to shock 10mins before I got the bright idea to do a full test but will wait 4 hours and come back up here.

Couple of other observations. Pool was gin clear when I left Monday morning. Friday green. I cleaned the unity last fall. I usually run at 60% for the IC-60 on my 36000 to keep level above 3, but earlier in april it seemed to get a little behind and I had to run 100 for 24 hours to catch up. I just attributed it to the quickly warming pool temp. Thx, SR

 

[JasonLion]

How well the SWG works is very sensitive to your CYA level. I didn't see you post a CYA level. For use with a SWG, CYA should be between 70 and 80. I strongly suspect that your CYA level is below that range, which would mean the SWG can't keep up with chlorine demand.

Also, don't raise CYA above 50 until you have gotten rid of all the algae.

 

[Slowride]

Thanks folks, Will wait 4 hours then retest for all levels. Is there anything I can be doing while i cool my heels. Too early for beer..

 

[woodyp]

I searched..............but couldn't find ONE article in pool school about it being........"too early for beer!"

 

[Slowride]

Probably correct. But I figure the police station is down from the Leslie's and I don't no "Federale" trouble....In about 2 hours, I'm going to go get that test redone and given that the Pentair is a little over a year old, if its broke, we'll be drinkin...

 

[Slowride]

Re: Generator says its working but no chlorine-UPDATED

UPDATED #'s

5.0 FAC
5.0 TAC
7.6 PH
100 TA
40 CYA
210 CH
2800 Salt
<100 Phosphates

thx, SR

 

[JasonLion]

As I suspected, your CYA level is too low to work well with the SWG. As soon as you finish taking care of the algae, raise CYA up to around 70 to 80.

 

[OperatorX]

You may also want to bump the salt level up. I have a IC-40 and it runs best around 3200-3500. Since these things have a tollerance swing of +/- 500 ppm, you could be on the edge of it working properly. I had and issue last season where it was shutting on/off based on the temperature. Hard to find if you are not looking at it all the time. The SWG would go on for one cycle but could go off on the next, after the SWG runs it's level test.

 

[GreatCanadian]

Thanks folks, Will wait 4 hours then retest for all levels. Is there anything I can be doing while i cool my heels. Too early for beer..

It's 5 o'clock somewhere.

 

[thebrileys]

We just had the same problem last week. We had the water tested and it had no conditioner/stabilizer, we added it and now its working perfectly.